In This Life
by Shocking Revelation
Summary: On his deathbed, Aang shares his final minutes with Katara.


In This Life

A large crowd had gathered around the Avatar's house one evening. Word had gotten out that he was very ill, and probably wouldn't make it.

Aang had recently turned sixty six, and ever since he had been feeling more weak than usual.

Katara spent many countless nights giving him healing sessions to help with his illness, but nothing seemed to work. Every day it seemed like he was getting sicker and sicker, and it was more than Katara could bear.

That evening, Sokka, Toph and Suki had come to pay their respect. If this was Aang's last day on earth, they wanted to be there with him when he left. Upon arriving in Ba Sing Se, the crowd turned their attention from Aang and Katara's house to Sokka, Suki and Toph walking up the steps.

"Its friends of the Avatar," one man exclaimed. The rest of the crowd pilled together around the three, each throwing one question after another.

"Just how sick is he?" one woman asked.

"Is this the end for Avatar Aang?" a man asked, curiously.

"What nation will the next Avatar belong to?"

Sokka who was quite irritated, pushed his way through the crowd, ignoring the pestering questions he was being asked. Once they reached the door, Toph sealed it with metalbending to prevent anyone from trying to barge in and disturb the peace.

Inside, Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi sat at the table, each holding each other's hand. They were crying, as if something terrible had happened.

"How is he?" Sokka asked, ready to hear the worse.

Tenzin wiped a tear from his eyes. It was hard to speak. "Mom says his breathing is slowing down, and his fever has gone up. He doesn't appear to be getting any better Uncle Sokka. This might be the end for him.

Tears stared to form in the old warrior's eyes, as he thought of the possibility of losing his brother-in law.

He pulled Suki close to him, and rested his head softly on her shoulder. Suki placed a hand on her husband's face, pulling him closer. The two wept softly, each picturing how life would be without Aang. Toph, who rarely showed emotion, for the first time, cried a river of tears.

Her star student, and best friend, Aang was dying. It was too hard to bear for the family, and the six sat quietly in the room, each praying silently for Aang to get better.

In the other room, Katara knelt by Aang's bedside, giving him another healing session. Her old fragile hands moved gently up and down his torso, hoping to revive him from his unconscious state. Aang had not been this ill in years, why was so sick all of a sudden? He wasn't that old; many Avatars lived to be over a hundred years old, but biologically he was 166, possibly the longest lifespan for an Avatar. As she bended the water from his torso, into the bowl beside her, she felt a hand tug on her robe. Quickly glancing down, she saw Aang's gray eyes staring back at her, a small smile on his face.

"Katara," he whispered.

The waterbender nearly leapt for joy. For the first time in days, Aang was talking. She wrapped her arms around his feeble body, and kissed him softly on the cheek. After all her patience, the healing finally worked, Aang was back in her arms.

"Katara," he whispered again.

"I'm here Aang, what do you need?" she asked.

"Katara, I have to tell you something," he said, his voice sounding weaker than before.

"What is it?"

"Katara, before I go… there's something I want you to know."

Katara grew worried, what if her healing only worked to bring him back for a few minutes? Could Aang still be gravely ill?

"Aang, don't talk like that, it's going to be alright, I'm here, I'll get you better," she whimpered.

Aang gave a loud cough, before continuing. "Katara, my time has come. It's time for me to move on, and open the door for a new Avatar to emerge. But before I go, I want to tell you something.

Katara's eyes filled with tears, she couldn't believe this was happening.

"Katara, this life that I lived, the life with you… has truly been a gift. The things we've been through together, and the love we've shared, has made a lifetime of dreams come true. From the moment I met you, I knew you were special. Whenever I was down and out, you brought hope back to life, for that I thank you, Katara. No one else could ever love me the way you did.

Tears poured from the waterbender's eyes. She leaned closer to Aang's chest, hearing his heartbeat starting to slow down. Before too long, the Avatar would be gone, and a new one would take his place.

Katara gazed down at her husband. Years of memories started to pour out as she looked at the man she loved the most. The two had been together since they were children, and that didn't seem long ago. Katara could still picture the innocent look on his twelve year old face when she met him.

From that moment on, it was a lifetime of adventure for Katara. She had lived an ordinary life up until the day she discovered him in that iceberg. Ever since, her life had been full of adventure, mystery and romance. It as a life she would never regret. Aang was not just her husband; he was her pride and joy. To see him leave was just as painful as losing her mother, maybe even more.

Aang gave another loud cough. This time he seemed to be out of breath, as he could barely whisper in Katara's ear what he had to say.

"I love you, Katara. This may be goodbye for now, but someday soon, we'll meet again. When that day comes, we'll be together for eternity. Until then, I'll be watching over you and the children. They've grown into such wonderful people, I couldn't ask for anything more. Goodbye, Katara, I'll always be with you. "

Katara gripped Aang's hand tight as she could. She didn't want him to leave, not yet. There was still so much they had to do, so many more years to spend together. But there was nothing she could do.

His time on earth had come to an end, and these were his last words. Gripping his hand tightly, she wept as she brushed a hand over his forehead. Aang stared back at her, giving a small smile, before closing his eyes forever.

In that moment, the world seemed to fall into complete silence. The noises of the crowd outside ceased, and the wind died down. It seemed as if time itself had stopped, to give a moment of silence for Avatar Aang, in honor of the many remarkable things he had accomplished in his lifetime.

Tenzin opened the curtain to the bedroom and stepped inside, followed by the rest of the family. They stood beside Katara, who had her head down on Aang's chest, crying heavily.

"I love you," she whimpered. "So very much."

Tenzin knelt beside his mother and wrapped his arms around her. Though no words could comfort her during this heartbreaking loss, he tried his best.

"I'm so sorry, mom," he sniffled. "You did your best, but it was time."

Katara looked up at Tenzin, tears dripping down her cheeks. "I know it was," she said. "But I just can't believe he's gone."

"He's not gone mom, he'll never be," Tenzin said. "Like the many friends we've lost in life, dad will always be in our hearts. His spirit lives on in the many amazing things he's done. And I know that he's proud of you and every one of us.

Katara wrapped her arms around her son, and pulled him close. The two sat still, trying hard to overcome their grief together. Sokka, Toph, Suki, Kya and Bumi all huddled in close as well.

Each had been affected tonight in a profound way, but none as much as Katara.

Aang had not just changed her life, he made it. Through their many travels and adventures, Aang opened a door to her heart that she never thought existed. Though he may have passed away, Tenzin was right.

He would always live in their hearts. One day, they would meet again as he said. When that day came, Katara knew it would be beautiful.

One sweet day, when she held him in her arms again.

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